System for raising sails

ABSTRACT

A system for raising sails on a stay including a plurality of shackles having an eye and movable bolt attached to said sail and adapted to be hooked about the stay. A tubular sleeve adapted to be inserted within the eye of the shackle. The sleeve has a slot arranged to be aligned with the opening in the eye whereby the sleeve and shackle are simultaneously placed over the stay. The sleeve and shackle having cooperating means adapted to open and close the bolt of the shackle on movement of the shackle along the sleeve.

United States Patent 1191 M rser [451 May 21, 1974 SYSTEM FOR RAISING SAILS [76] Inventor: Francis Gerard Merser, 33 Grove Primary Exammer l?onald Gnffin St Framingham Center, Mass Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Murray Schaffer 01701 [22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 318,184

A system for raxsmg salls on a stay mcludmg a plurality of shackles having an eye and movable bolt at- [52] U.S. CI. 24/239, 1 14/1 I4 tached to said 53 and adapted to be hooked abnut thc [51] llllt. CI A44b 13/02 stay A tubular Sleeve adapted to be inserted within [58] Fleld of Search 24/239; 1 14/102 the eye of the shackle. The sleeve has a slot arranged l 14/l08- 1 1 14 14 to be aligned with the opening in the eye whereby the sleeve and shackle are simultaneously placed over the [56] References cued stay. The sleeve and shackle having cooperating UNITED STATES PATENTS means adapted to open and close the bolt of the 652,735 6/l900 Schofield 114/114 Shackle n m m n f the hackle along the sleeve.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 10 Claims 6 Drawing Figures 8,181 5/1891 Great Britain 24/162 SYSTEM FOR RAISING SAILS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for securing head or jib sails to a headstay and in particular to a system which provides for the quick change of jib or head sails.

Headsails are normally affixed (or hanked) on to jib-stays by a series of hanks (or snap shackles) which are permanently attached to the luff or leading edge of the sail. Each shackle must be individually located by the sailor, the snap pin opened, the shackle placed over the head or jib-stay and the pin released.

Several hanks or shackles are used with each sail which makes the job cumbersome and time consuming. It is also possible to incorrectly attach a shackle to the headstay making it necessary to lower the sail again and make corrections. Improperly inserted shackles can sometimes become bent or broken from improper assembly. Because of the amount of time involved in lowering a sail, removing hanks or shackles from the stay, placing a new jib in position and refastening the hanks, considerable time and effort is expended in replacing sails. This is an important factor in a race and is critical in heavy weather when the job becomes even more difficult and hazardous.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a system wherein the jib headsail may be quickly and easily attached and detached to the headstay.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved shackle for use in mounting a headsail in which the hook may be automatically opened and closed on the raising of the sail, and which once raised, maintains the hooks securely and firmly closed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system of novel snap hooks connected to the sail and means for the automatic operation when fastened or removed from the headstay, forming a unitary assembly and system.

It is still a further object to provide a novel snap hook or shackle.

These and other objects will be obvious from the following description and from the appended drawings.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to the present invention a system for raising the sail on a stay comprises the use of a plurality of novel shackles each having a resiliently biased bolt from which a projection extends into the area of the eye of the shackle and a sleeve adapted to fit over the stay and into the eye of each shackle. The sleeve is provided with means for engaging the shackle projection and selectively causing it to move the bolt into open and closed position.

Advantageously, the sleeve comprises a tubular member having a longitudinal slot in its wall sufficiently wide to permit it to be freely placed onto the stay and the means provided thereon to engage the bolt projection is arranged such, that when inserted into the shackle, the opening of the shackle clevis is aligned with the slot in the wall of the tubular sleeve.

Preferrably, the projecting means extending from or connected to the bolt comprises a cam and the means provided on the tubular sleeve is a rib having a tapered edge adapted to engage the cam, whereby the cam may be moved along a defined path. In one embodiment the bolt is straight and the cam comprises a pin adapted to move in a straight path, while in another the cam comprises a transverse arm. In still another embodiment the bolt may be arcuate and movable in an arcuate direction.

Preferably the tubular sleeve and the shackles located thereon, having the slot and clevis openings aligned are capable of being secured in a more or less permanent assembly wherein the entire assembly may be placed over the stay and wherein when the sail is raised the shackles ride off of the sleeve closing automatically about the stay. A retaining collar is preferably secured to the stay ahead of time, over which the sleeve may be slidingly fit and retained against inadvertent dislodgement.

Full details of the present invention are given in the following description and are seen in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the bow portion of a sail boat employing the system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the tapered sleeve retaining collar and headstay;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the shackle of the present invention shown in closed position;

FIG. 5 is a view of the shackle of FIG. 4 on the tapered sleeve shown in open position; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, there is indicated a sail boat 10 having a jib or headsail 12 secured to a headstay 14 extending upwardly, at an angle, from the tip of the bow to the mast (not shown). The headstay 14 is conventional in construction being a'cable or solid rod or suitable diameter, and stretched tightly to support the sail 12. The sail is secured to the headstay by a plurality of shackles l6 normally secured along the length of the luff 18 of the sail at spaced intervals and a tack fitting or shackle 20 to the bow. The sail is raised and lowered by the conventional halyard and halyard winch (neither of which are shown) secured to the mast.

Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, each shackle 16 according to one form of the present invention comprises a body,

generally defined by the numeral 22 comprising a base section 24 of enlarged cross section from which a generally U-shaped clevis loop 26 extends. The end 28 of the clevis 26 terminates at a distance opposite to that of the base portion, and provides an opening space 30 through which the headstay may be made to pass into the bight 32 of the clevis.

Extending through the base 24 of the body is an elongated hole 34 axially aligned with the end 28 of the clevis. Parallel to the hole 34 but spaced from it is a second hole 36 which also extends through the body but beneath the bight 32 of the loop. The body is cut beneath the bight 32 with a key slot 38 running transversely to the general plane of the body and is also axially aligned with the hole 36. Mounted to freely move in first hole 34 is rod-like latch bolt or pin 40, which is normally urged upward by a compression spring 42 secured at its lower end by a ferrule 44 swaged to the base. The latch pin 40 is sufficiently large enough to bridge the opening 30 and nest within a recess 46 formed in the frontal face of the end 28 of the loop, thus beingnormally biased by the spring 42 to close the space 30 and seal the bight 32 of the loop. Extending parallel to the latch pin 40 within the second hole 36 is a cam pin 48 which is freely movable in that hole. Extending between and fixed to the latch and cam pins 40 and 48 on the exterior of the bottom of the body is a connecting crosspiece 50 which is either screwed, or

welded or otherwise fastened to the two pins 40 and 48 so that the pins are securely bound together for conjoint movement. The key slot 38 is wide enough, to provide entrance for a key member to be later described. The length of the key slot 38 is determined by the distance between the end 28 of the clevis and the opposing base whereby on entrance of into the key slot the pins 40 and 48 can be made to be withdrawn against the bias of the spring 42 to open the opening 30.

The shackle body is conventionally provided with an ear 52 having two lobes in which cut-out 54 is formed into which the luff 18 of the sail may be received. Holes 56 and 58 are provided in each lobe on either side of the cut-out 54 to which the sail is sewn or otherwise fastened.

It will thus be seen that, while the latch and cam pins can be withdrawn by pulling on the cross piece, it is intended that the shackle be automatically operable under normal conditions and in customary use, by a key insertable in the slot. This key comprises as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a tapered tubular sleeve generally hearing numeral 60 adapted to be insertable axial within the bight 32 of the shackle.

The tubular sleeve 60 comprises a shaped member having a longitudinal slot 62 sufficiently wide to fit over the headstay 14 and a conically tapered inner diameter which fits over a split collar 64 secured by means of a clamp fastener 66 and a plurality of split spring clips 68 to the lower end of the headstay 14. The collar 64 which may be conventionally made of two elongated semi-circular pieces is secured to the headstay in more or less permanent fashion by the clamp .fastener or if desired, it may be formed integrally with the headstay. The latter form may be particularly used when the headstay is a solid rod since then the rod can be easily made with a larger diameter at its lower end. The outer diameter of the collar 64 is conformingly tapered to that of the sleeve, so that a substantially sliding fit is obtained when tubular sleeve 60 is axially moved downwardly over the collar 64. The spring clips 68 may, if desired, be of a size which provides a resilient hold on the sleeve 60 so that once placed on the collar the sleeve will not be foreced off inadvertently by the action of the sea. The clamp fastener 66 also forms an end stop preventing the downward movement of the sleeve. Of course, the longitudinal slot 62 is narrower than the diameter of the collar 64 so that the sleeve 60 will not come off laterally.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sleeve 60 has a longitudinal rib 70 extending along its length from one end to the other. The rib 70 forms a tapered ramp 72 narrowing at its upper end 72a, to conform to the outer diame ter of the tube itself and widening outward toward its mid section 72b to extend in a uniform manner or straight line from there to the bottom edge. At the bottom edge the rib 70 extends radially outward, to provide a tab 74. The outer diameter of the sleeve 60, the rib 70 are dimensioned to allow the sleeve to be inserted in the bight 32 of the shackle l6 and to axially slide thereover, but to be retained thereon by the tab 74. The rib 70 is also adapted to enter the key slot 38 and its ramp 72 is adapted-to slide along the tip of the cam pin 48 to key it and to have it cause the latch pin to selectively close and open. The tubular sleeve 60 itself is provided at its upper end 76 with a rounded noselike configuration which allows the shackle to swivel about and automatically it permits the key slot 38 to orient itself with respect to the tapered ramp 72.

Preferably, the opening 32 and the key slot 38 of the shackle and the respectively conforming longitudinal slot 62, and tapered ramp 72 of the tubular sleeve are offset from each other by 90. Therefore, since by aligning shackles and securing them permanently to the sail so that the slots, ribs etc., are aligned with each other, the sleeve may be inserted within the bight in only one direction to provide for the sequential opening and closing of the latch pins. It will be found that in placing the sleeve on the head stay with a downward motion the movement of sleeve and shackles is relatively made from the bottom up and thus, the tube can be placed about the head stay and pushed downwardly on collar with the assurance that the nose of the sleeve will always be at the top and that the shackles and slots are always properly oriented. I

The rib 70 forming the tapered ramp 72 is provided with a hole 80 at each end. The holes serve to hold a piece of tack line 82 which may be used to tie the sleeve down to the bow as seen in FIG. 1 when the sleeve is placed on the head stay. The line 82 also serves to retain, when tied at both ends of the sleeve, several shackles on the sleeve, so that an assembly of open shackles secured to a fully furled and folded sail may be premounted on the sleeve.

In actual operation the head stay 14 is first provided with a collar which may be permanently left thereon,

since it may be used to accomodate any one of a number of sails, etc. Thereafter, any number of sails may be provided, each havinganumber of shackles 16 described above and spaced in aligned position along the luff end 18, of the said and affixed to a sleeve.

In the unused and/or furled condition of the sails, the shackles of this sail are located and held over the tube sleeve by the use of the tack line 82. In this condition the latch pin is withdrawn opening each of the shackle bights 32 to conform to the longitudinal slot 62 in the sleeve 60. The tack line holds the assembly together so that the sail can be moved about and stored in this opening condition. Thus, the sail is assembled with the sleeve and shackles in place for immediate and simple placement over the head stay 14. When it is desired to place the sail on the headstay, the assembly of sleeve and shackles located thereon is placed over the head stay and axially slided down on the retaining collar 64. Because the retaining collar has a diameter larger than that of the head stay, the sleeve cannot therefore be removed from the head stay, except by a contrary movement upward which because of the dimensions given must be a conscious effort on the part of the sailor.v

Consequently, the sail will remain in its furled condition at the lower end of the head stay until it is unfurled and raised. To do this, thetack line 82 is unhooked at the upper end from the sleeve and is hooked to the bow or other suitable object, and the halyard hooked to the head of the sail. The sail is then unfurled in conventional manner by the use of the halyard ropes. As the halyard pulls the sail upwardly, the shackles successively ride on the sleeve and the decreasingly tapering ramp 72 permits movement of the cam pin outwardly into the key slot. Each latch pin closes then about the head stay under the action of the compression spring and the decreasing taper of the ramp 72. As a result of the nose cone construction, before the shackle itself is removed from the tube, the pin is fully closed; thus the shackle is insured against inadvertently coming off the smaller diameter head stay as it is pulled upward. The compression spring forces the pin into the recess at the end of the clevis insuring that the shackle will not be inadvertently opened during sailing even under the most strenuous sea conditions.

When the sail is to be furled, the halyard is manipulated to drop the sail. As the sail falls, each of the shackles in turn sequentially fall onto the tubular sleeve and the rib 70 of the tube. Because of the nose cone the rib 70 becomes aligned with and enters into the key slot of the shackle and the weight of the sail and shackle forces the shackles automatically in place. Only a small manual force may be required to further push the shackles axially along the sleeve until the lowermost shackle abuts against the tab and is stopped. As a result of this axial movement the cam pin is actuated causing it to carry the latch pin into open position. Once all the shackles are placed over the sleeve, it will be obvious that all the latch openings are in line with the longitudinal slot on the sleeve, and that all the shackles have their latch pins withdrawn. The tack line 82 may then be hooked to the upper hole on the sleeve, permitting the now fully assembled or folded sail to be removed from the head stay by lifting the sleeve and assemble shackles axially from the collar and laterally out from about the head stay.

The advantages of this invention include not only the speed with which a jib can be changed, but also that the jib will always be correctly installed and without fear of damage to the shackles. Further manual manipulation of the shackles is no longer necessary.

From a safety stanpoint, the crew will be exposed to possible danger in extreme conditions for far less time than is normal, since it is no longer necessary to manipulate separately large numbers of shackles and because 1 the replacement, sbustitute or alternate sail is preassembled with opened shackles and sleeve. Also there is no possibility of misalignin g shackles or twisting the sequential order of the shackles as they are placed on the head stay. Placing the sail in position on the head stay is now simple and virtually foolproof matter.

Another form of shackles bearing the principles of the present invention is seen in FIG. 6. In this Figure elements conforming to those seen in FIGS. 1 5 bear like reference numerals. Here, however, the second hole and cam pin are omitted but instead the shackle body is provided with a channel 90 which runs transversely to the first hold 34 in which the latch pin is located through substantially the entire length of the body beneath the bight 32. The channel 90 is perpendicularly arranged to the key slot 38. instead of the cam pin, the latch pin 36 is provided with an arm 92 secured to it so as to extend perpendicular to its axis within the channel 90. Preferably, the latch pin and arm 92 are in the form of a unitary casting, weldment or molding, although the arm may be screwed into the pin or by other means fastened to it. The am 92, of course, is adapted to be engaged by the tapered ramp which keys its movement, causing corresponding movement of the latch pin in exactly the same manner as described above with regard to FIGS. 1 5.

FIG. 6 also shows another variant employed in conventional shackles, wherein the lobes of the shackle ear are clamped to the sail rather than being sewn to it. Preferably, in either case, the shackles are brass, bronze alloys, stainless steel or other suitable hard but ductile material, permitting in the second embodiment such deformation of the lobes in permanent fashion. In both embodiments the latch pin, cam pin or arm are suitable materials such as the above, or they may be hard plastic material such as Polycarbonate or nylon.

Both embodiments provide a simply constructed shackle in which the latch pin may be automatically keyed simultaneous with the raising or lowering of the sail..Various other embodiments may be provided. For example, rather than the straight line action afforded by the latching pins in their holes, the latching effect may be provided by a circular or semi-circular hasp member movable in an arc. Thus, the tapered ramp may be converted into an arcuate cam surface adapted to move the hasp member circularly on the axial movement of the shackles along the headstay. The essence of the invention, therefore, lies in the provision of a shackle which is openable or closable by a camming key member inserted axially in the bight and not just the specific forms shown.

The present disclosure is to be taken as illustrative only and not limiting of the present invention.

What is claimed:

1. A snap hook comprising an eye adapted to receive a member to be secured therein, a pin slidable to open and close said eye to permit entry and removal of said member, and means projecting from said pin to be engaged by said member on entry into and removal of said member from said eye, said projecting means being adapted to coact with said member to move said pin on axial translation of 'said hook and member relative to each other to open and close said eye accord-- ingly.

2. The snap hook according to claim 1, wherein said hook is provided with a recess to receive a portion of said member to be secured therein extending from said eye, said projecting means extending into said recess,- and said member to be secured including means extending along its surface to engage said projecting means on movement within said eye.

3. A system for raising a sail having a stay on which said sail is to be held, and a plurality of shackles secured to said sail and adapted to be removably hooked to said stay, each of said shackles comprising a body, a clevis, a slidable bolt mounted in said body to close said clevis, and a projection extending from said bolt in communication with the bight of said clevis, and a sleeve adapted to surround a portion of said stay and to be inserted within the clevis of each shackle, said sleeve having means on the exterior thereof engaging said projection and adapted to cause said projection to move said bolt when so engaged to selectively open and close the same.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said bolt is resiliently biased in closed position, and sleeve engaging means is adapted to open said sleeve when said shackle is placed thereon, and to permit said bolt to close when said shackle is removed therefrom.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said shackle body is provided with a slot extending radially from the bight of said clevis and the projection extending from said bolt is adapted to move within said slot, said sleeve engaging means being adapted to enter said slot and have an edge in sliding contact with said projection.

jection comprises a pin extending in a bore parallel 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said I clevis has an opening closed by said bolt, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot formed therein adapted to freely fit over said stay, the opening of said bolt and the slot of said sleeve being respectively arranged so that each is aligned with the other when said bolt projection and said engaging means contact each other.

7. The system according to claim 6, including means for mounting said sleeve on said stay, comprising a Colthereto and includes means for connecting said pin to said bolt for conjoint movement, said pin being slidable axial within said slot.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein said bolt extends within a bore formed in said body and said projection extends perpendicular thereto in a transverse channel beneath said slot and is fixed to said bolt 'for conjoint movement 10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said bolt extends arcuately about said clevis, said projection extends inwardly radially into said clevis, and said sleeve engaging means comprises an arcuate member adapted to move said projection in an arcuate path. 

1. A snap hook comprising an eye adapted to receive a member to be secured therein, a pin slidable to open and close said eye to permit entry and removal of said member, and means projecting from said pin to be engaged by said member on entry into and removal of said member from said eye, said projecting means being adapted to coact with said member to move said pin on axial translation of said hook and member relative to each other to open and close said eye accordingly.
 2. The snap hook according to claim 1, wherein said hook is provided with a recess to receive a portion of said member to be secured therein extending from said eye, said projecting means extending into said recess, and said member to be secured including means extending along its surface to engage said projecting means on movement within said eye.
 3. A system for raising a sail having a stay on which said sail is to be held, and a plurality of shackles secured to said sail and adapted to be removably hooked to said stay, each of said shackles comprising a body, a clevis, a slidable bolt mounted in said body to close said clevis, and a projection extending from said bolt in communication with the bight of said clevis, and a sleeve adapted to surround a portion of said stay and to be inserted within the clevis of each shackle, said sleeve having means on the exterior thereof engaging said projection and adapted to cause said projection to move said bolt when so engaged to selectively open and close the same.
 4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said bolt is resiliently biased in closed position, and sleeve engaging means is adapted to open said sleeve when said shackle is placed thereon, and to permit said bolt to close when said shackle is removed therefrom.
 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said shackle body is provided with a slot extending radially from the bight of said clevis and the projection extending from said bolt is adapted to move within said slot, said sleeve engaging means being adapted to enter said slot and have an edge in sliding contact with said projection.
 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said clevis has an opening closed by said bolt, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot formed therein adapted to freely fit over said stay, the opening of said bolt and the slot of said sleeve being respectively arranged so that each is aligned with the other when said bolt projection and said engaging means contact each other.
 7. The system according to claim 6, including means for mounting said sleeve on said stay, comprising a collar over which said sleeve is adapted to slidingly fit, said collar being secured to said stay and being adapted to hold said sleeve against movement.
 8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said bolt extends within a bore formed in said body and said projection comprises a pin extending in a bore parallel thereto and includes means for connecting said pin to said bolt for conjoint movement, said pin being slidable axial within said slot.
 9. The system according to claim 5, wherein said bolt extends within a bore formed in said body and said projection extends perpendicular thereto in a transverse channel beneath said slot and is fixed to said bolt for conjoint movement.
 10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said bolt extends arcuately about said clevis, said projection extends inwardly radially into said clevis, and said sleeve engaging means comprises an arcuate member adapted to move said projection in an arcuate path. 